Humble Beginnings...

Our group was founded in 2011 by Professor Avi Henn who named the group "Capoeira Amizade (friendship) Flagstaff" which is still the legal name of the group. The mission of Capoeira Amizade Flagstaff is to promote, inspire, and develop an understanding and appreciation of the Afro-Brazilian art of Capoeira and other African-Brazilian cultural manifestations. We primarily focuse on community enrichment through workshops, classes, presentations, cultural exchange programs, educational seminars, and retreats.

We had humble beginnings as a fairly obscure group struggling to maintain a consistent membership and classes. With strong dedication and persistence, we have grown and become a well established and known group in Arizona. Our work is also well known around the United States and internationally. We became a 501 (c) 3 non profit organization in 2015 and through the years we have proudly provided many performances, events, lectures, and workshops as a service to the community of Flagstaff.

Centro Capoeira Angola OuroVerde

Through the years Capoeira Amizade Flagstaff developed a close relationship with Mestre Cabello who has been visiting our group twice a year since 2013. Together with Mestre Tisza, who also visits our group regularly. They have become the mentors of the group and we are now associated with their organization Centro Capoeira Angola OuroVerde which is the name we currently use for our group. Mestres Cabello and Tisza now reside near the town of Serra Grande where they operate both the Barracao D'Angola center and the OuroVerde cultural farm where they offer Capoeira Angola, percussion, and dance classes year around. Twice a year they hold their DanceBatukeira event where they host practitioners and teachers from around the world. Please visit the Barracao D'Angola website for more information.